Dash options and an expensive mistake

[shorty123]

Hi chaps, been off for a while, just got the chim serviced and repaired after a costly-damp-garage-storing issue!

Made the mistake of using a cheap halfords car cover inside my garage to protect it from the leaking bitumen roof from October last year (roof repairs not an option ove winter) I got the car out two weeks ago to find a serious attack of mildew on all the interior surfces, soggy carpets, blistered paint on the bonnet and lamp surrounds, and something i just noticed this evening after getting the car back from repair - my once pristine walnut dash has delaminated and although it hasnt cracked the veneer is bubbling away from the backing plate.

Oh dear i thought........as i held back the tears

Anyway, all is fixed now and my wallet is somewhat lighter, the front repainted, the interior cleaned and the car serviced like new... oh and i now have a nice dry garage after slaving over fitting a new roof. All but the dash panel, what i would like to know is who are selling alternative panels either CF, stainless or ally?

I have searched the forums and notice leven supposedly sell an alloy facia but does anyone else?

P.S i have thought also of getting the facia relaminated by London Carriage craft, i just want to explore my options.

Ta Shorty

[tyre_tread]

shorty123 said:

Hi chaps, been off for a while, just got the chim serviced and repaired after a costly-damp-garage-storing issue!

Made the mistake of using a cheap halfords car cover inside my garage to protect it from the leaking bitumen roof from October last year (roof repairs not an option ove winter) I got the car out two weeks ago to find a serious attack of mildew on all the interior surfces, soggy carpets, blistered paint on the bonnet and lamp surrounds, and something i just noticed this evening after getting the car back from repair - my once pristine walnut dash has delaminated and although it hasnt cracked the veneer is bubbling away from the backing plate.

Oh dear i thought........as i held back the tears

Anyway, all is fixed now and my wallet is somewhat lighter, the front repainted, the interior cleaned and the car serviced like new... oh and i now have a nice dry garage after slaving over fitting a new roof. All but the dash panel, what i would like to know is who are selling alternative panels either CF, stainless or ally?

I have searched the forums and notice leven supposedly sell an alloy facia but does anyone else?

P.S i have thought also of getting the facia relaminated by London Carriage craft, i just want to explore my options.

Ta Shorty

The dash on my car has also delaminated (2000 Chimaera) and although I want a stainless dash, I don't like the chequer pattern that Leven do.

I had some other Stainless bits made, laser cut, at a reasonable price for my Rover P5 and I am considering the same brushed stainless finish for a dash to be made. Is yours post 96? It may be cheaper to have several made as the setting up is most of the cost.

[markh]

shorty123 said:

Hi chaps, been off for a while, just got the chim serviced and repaired after a costly-damp-garage-storing issue!

Made the mistake of using a cheap halfords car cover inside my garage to protect it from the leaking bitumen roof from October last year (roof repairs not an option ove winter) I got the car out two weeks ago to find a serious attack of mildew on all the interior surfces, soggy carpets, blistered paint on the bonnet and lamp surrounds, and something i just noticed this evening after getting the car back from repair - my once pristine walnut dash has delaminated and although it hasnt cracked the veneer is bubbling away from the backing plate.

Oh dear i thought........as i held back the tears

Anyway, all is fixed now and my wallet is somewhat lighter, the front repainted, the interior cleaned and the car serviced like new... oh and i now have a nice dry garage after slaving over fitting a new roof. All but the dash panel, what i would like to know is who are selling alternative panels either CF, stainless or ally?

I have searched the forums and notice leven supposedly sell an alloy facia but does anyone else?

P.S i have thought also of getting the facia relaminated by London Carriage craft, i just want to explore my options.

Ta Shorty

Just a thought Tim at ACT did me a funky carbon fibre dash, looks great

[p400pls]

Try David Battey at The Garage, he fitted a brushed stainless one for me.
I don't know wher he got it from but at the time all I could find was the on the web was chequered pattern ones, I went with the brushed finish without actually seeing it.

My car has light upholstery and all the other controls are leven which makes a great combination.

[stackmonkey]

shorty123 said:

P.S i have thought also of getting the facia relaminated by London Carriage craft, i just want to explore my options.

I had some new laminate put on my dash by them - did a very good job

[touching cloth]

A cheap option (even if you only use it as a temporary one) is to strip the laminate off completely and use a drill mounted wire brush to brush up the metal backing plate, it works surprisingly well. I started it on my old Chim but in the end however I only got as far as doing my radio surround, was looking for a damaged main dash to use as mine was in good nick and seemed a shame to rip the laminate off a good one - I then sold the car before getting it done anyway. If your main is damaged already then might we worth a crack before paying out for a leven one (which I also was not sold on).

Here are some snaps I found in my archives

[zippee]

touching cloth said:

A cheap option (even if you only use it as a temporary one) is to strip the laminate off completely and use a drill mounted wire brush to brush up the metal backing plate, it works surprisingly well. I started it on my old Chim but in the end however I only got as far as doing my radio surround, was looking for a damaged main dash to use as mine was in good nick and seemed a shame to rip the laminate off a good one - I then sold the car before getting it done anyway. If your main is damaged already then might we worth a crack before paying out for a leven one (which I also was not sold on).

Here are some snaps I found in my archives

Thats whats been done to mine and IMHO looks far better than the machined ally ones.
Pic on my profile if you're interested.

Edited by zippee on Thursday 26th April 11:12

[shorty123]

cheers chaps, i like the sound of carbon fibre, my interior is biscuit/magnolia with emerald carpets i have all the leven alloy gear but last time i looked i didnt like the checkered finish of theirs much.

I like the idea of stripping back the original items, but surely the metal needs a laquer or it will get surface rust the minute it gets damp?

Like to know...?

[redeye]

cleaned mine back to the metal, gave it a dam good shine,fitted it in to me chim ,did not like it ended up spraying them same as the car now looks the dogs ,see profile for pics

[robinracer]

The dash on my car has also delaminated (2000 Chimaera) and although I want a stainless dash, I don't like the chequer pattern that Leven do.

I had some other Stainless bits made, laser cut, at a reasonable price for my Rover P5 and I am considering the same brushed stainless finish for a dash to be made. Is yours post 96? It may be cheaper to have several made as the setting up is most of the cost.
[/quote]



Hi chaps
I would interested in the stainless steel dash if you are going to have them made.
does anyone know how much it would be to have the parts fitted ??

[tyre_tread]

robinracer said:

The dash on my car has also delaminated (2000 Chimaera) and although I want a stainless dash, I don't like the chequer pattern that Leven do.

I had some other Stainless bits made, laser cut, at a reasonable price for my Rover P5 and I am considering the same brushed stainless finish for a dash to be made. Is yours post 96? It may be cheaper to have several made as the setting up is most of the cost.

Hi chaps
I would interested in the stainless steel dash if you are going to have them made.
does anyone know how much it would be to have the parts fitted ??[/quote]

[tyre_tread]

Andy-w

YHM!

[Cider Andy]

shorty123 said:

...i have thought also of getting the facia relaminated...

I had a similar problem: veneer came away from the panel, cracked and split up, eventually falling off in pieces. So I sent it to this guy. He sent a sample of the veneer to his supplier to get a good match, then did both panels in burr walnut, shown in the photo below (which doesn't really do it justice). I'm very happy with the finished product.

[edtvr]

tyre_tread said:

I don't like the chequer pattern that Leven do.
and I am considering the same brushed stainless finish for a dash to be made.

I agree with comment about the leven dash, I have always liked the look of engine turned stainless steel IP's



I found this example of an engine turn dash, I wonder if anyone has done this on their Chim?

[medieval]

I agree edtvr - I think the engine turned finish is superb and I assume could be done to a stripped dash panel as well.


Just need to find some one who can do that type of finish......

[zippee]

Theres this one for sale on E-Bay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TVR-Chimaera-Pr

[tyre_tread]

zippee said:

Theres this one for sale on E-Bay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TVR-Chimaera-Pr

The way the dashboard has been cut is about as tasteful as the upholstery colours!

[chef_golf]

funnily i was looking at this on the bay earlier 260110660074 or this web site www.tvartparts.com/products.htm,
good luck with it post up what you decided to do with some pics

[shorty123]

edtvr said:

tyre_tread said:

I don't like the chequer pattern that Leven do.
and I am considering the same brushed stainless finish for a dash to be made.

I agree with comment about the leven dash, I have always liked the look of engine turned stainless steel IP's



I found this example of an engine turn dash, I wonder if anyone has done this on their Chim?

Now this looks lovely, thats the finish i would like too

[thenick]

These all look good but IMHO, the leven one looks fantastic!